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Interactive Arts and Technology

Master of Arts

The master of arts (MA) is one of three degrees offered in SIAT in art, design, media and information technology with particular expertise in the interactive aspects of digital technology and media related to topics including art, design, learning, business, cognition, performing arts, social science and cultural studies. The program is geared toward students who wish to learn about interactive technologies and the implications of their design and use in a human-centred context. Methodological approaches in this degree are primarily drawn from traditions of inquiry in the social sciences, humanities and artistic disciplines.

The program has the following objectives: research into the acts of designing, making, and managing technology; inquiry into and use of research methodologies that enable interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of new technologies; and application of new technologies in society and industry, particularly in creative areas of art, design and media.

Admission Requirements

There will be annual admission with the possibility of early or out-of-cycle admissions in special cases.

The minimum standards will be those of Simon Fraser University, as described in the Graduate General Regulations (page 219), augmented by the following specific requirements.

The school aims to admit students with diverse backgrounds, across the broad areas in which our faculty have disciplinary expertise. The following admission requirements encourage such diversity while setting minimum standards for acceptance into the program.

Students will be admitted to study for either the master of arts (MA) or master of science (MSc) degree. Students may articulate between the MA and MSc degrees by meeting the admission and program requirements of the degree to which they articulate and with the approval of the graduate program committee. A student may make one application for articulation.

Minimum Standard Entrance Requirements

an undergraduate degree in a field related to the proposed program of study. For example: BSc computer science, BASc engineering (electrical, communications, computer engineering), BA or BSc in education, management, economics or communications, BFA in art, design or performing arts, BA in art, art history, architecture, linguistics, psychology or philosophy, BArch, BLArch, BID.

OR an undergraduate degree in a field related to the proposed program of study in another, related discipline. In this instance, applicants must establish the relationship between the discipline in which they hold their previous degree(s) and this program, and explain how they would benefit from this program.

a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better at a Canadian university, or equivalent, for the undergraduate degree.

two reference letters from suitably qualified persons.

Additional Admission Requirements

English Language Competence

English is the language of instruction and communication at the University. Accordingly, an applicant whose primary language is not English must demonstrate command of English sufficient to pursue graduate studies in the chosen field. Please refer to the Graduate General Regulations (1.3.12 English Language Competence) for minimum language requirements and further information.

Portfolio/Interview

Candidates who are considered for admission may be required to submit a work portfolio and/or be required to attend a personal or telephone interview during the latter stages of the admission process.

Advising and Supervision

Students entering the program will be assigned an interim advisor. The interim advisor has two main tasks: advising the student on issues related to study within the program and assisting the student in identifying and approaching potential senior supervisors. There is no requirement that the interim advisor has a role in supervision once the senior supervisor is approved. Student supervision will comply with graduate general regulations section 1.6 Supervision.

The normal size of supervisory committees is two members.

Program Requirements

Students complete a minimum of 30 units, consisting of 15 units of course work, of which 12 must normally be SIAT graduate course units. The 12 SIAT units may not include Directed Readings.

Course Requirements

Introduces the core values of interdisciplinary scholarship through engagement with history, theory and practice in the study of science, technology, society and culture. This course will be a reading-intensive, extended seminar style investigation of theoretical and historical references in science and technology studies and broader societal implications of technologies. Prerequisite: SIAT Graduate Student.

Provides an introduction to different epistemological worldviews, research approaches and methodological traditions of inquiry that are used to conduct research within SIAT. Students are introduced to a range of ways of knowing and inquiring in human-centred design, development and analysis of interactive technologies including scientific, social science, humanities, design and art-based approaches. Prerequisite: SIAT Graduate Student.

Introduces students to computer programming that encompasses knowledge of art/design history and practices, and introduces a deep approach to design thinking in creating interactive software projects. This programming-intensive course includes an introduction to Interactive Design Computing and the history of ideas that lead to modern interactive computing systems and emphasizes decision making in software design process, historical perspective of art and design, interactive software objects, iterative design cycles and design rationale in producing interactive software and introduces a historical perspective on these techniques. Prerequisite: SIAT Graduate Student.

The remaining course units can be fulfilled by completing a SIAT graduate elective, special topics or a directed readings course.

Explores the theory and practice of performance and technology in the context of interactive-art. Investigates interactive performance as an emerging practice-based area of research. Grounds performance practice in a variety of fields including: human computer interaction, phenomenology, artificial intelligence, embodied cognition and computation, computer games, and virtual worlds.

A range of ways of knowing and inquiring in design research are explored by providing comparisons of different traditions appropriate for empirical mixed method design evaluations. This is a second research methods course. Prerequisite: One research methods course, either quantitative or qualitative. Students with credit for this course when offered as IAT 888 Special Topics in Spring 2007 may not take this course for further credit.

Sustainable interaction design (SID) examines the role of design in digital artifacts that support environmental sustainability. SID considers digital artifacts with respect to recycling, reuse, and renewal. The aim of the course is to introduce and understand SID concepts, research, and practice.

Games have become a major part of our culture, rivaling the popularity of movies. Drawing on a wide variety of examples and disciplines, this course examines theories and techniques for the analysis of existing games, and the design of new ones. It studies game design, and will provide students with the conceptual and technical tools necessary to critique and design games of all kinds.

Theory and practice of the metacreation as a contemporary approach to generative art and design that involves using tools and techniques from artificial intelligence, artificial life, and machine learning to develop software that is creative on their own. Through the project students will build software that exhibits behaviour that would be considered creative if performed by humans. Prerequisite: IAT 800. Students with credit for IAT 811 in 2008 or 2009 or IAT 888 in 2010 may not take this course for further credit.

External Courses

Subject to supervisory committee approval and graduate program committee approval, students may fulfill the remaining course requirements through other appropriate graduate courses at Simon Fraser University or elsewhere (the latter subject to Simon Fraser University rules on external courses).

Directed Readings

Directed readings should be distinct from work undertaken toward the thesis, and only one can be counted towards the program requirements. Students should not expect to complete a directed readings course when a substantively comparable Simon Fraser University course exists. Directed readings courses, even if led by SIAT faculty, may not be counted as part of the minimum 12 SIAT units. Normally, a directed readings course may not be taken from the student’s senior supervisor(s).

Through an interdisciplinary speaker series, presents research topics relevant to the SIAT graduate program. Engages students in discussion and debate on the utility, results and methods of research. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the SIAT graduate program.